Poland prekindergarten, kindergarten students explore new playground following ribbon-cutting ceremony

May 5, 2017

Video slideshow from the playground ribbon cutting.

POLAND – Poland Central School District unveiled its new
primary-school playground on Thursday, May 4, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony,
before allowing prekindergarten and kindergarten students to try out their new
playground.

Kindergartener Lucy Virgil, 6, said her favorite part of the
new playground is the teeter-totter, and she enjoyed exploring all the new
equipment.

“I think it’s fun,” she said.

The prekindergarten and kindergarten classes attended the
ribbon cutting along with their prekindergarten teachers Barbara Brinck and
Laurie Schmid, kindergarten teachers Carrie Roark and Christina Kress, physical
education teachers Jason Potempa and Sandy Hitt, some special education
students and teachers, Superintendent Laura Dutton and Patrick Costello,
project manager for Appel Osborne Landscape Architecture, who designed the
playground.

“We spend time looking at drawings and going through the
process; to see the kids actually use it is exciting,” Costello said.

Orange and blue juice for the school colors also was
provided for students as part of the ribbon-cutting festivities.

The playground is classified as for students ages 2-12. The
district makes $500,000 transfers to capital in each school budget for
projects, and this playground was constructed using funds from one of those
transfers.

Roark complimented Costello on the playground design.

“It looks great,” she said, “and as you can see, they’re all
happy.”

Costello, who said he likes to allow his children to try out
playgrounds he designs, said it was nice to see Poland students getting to try
out the equipment.

“It’s always awesome when it comes to fruition,” he said.

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony and some time for everyone
to play on the equipment, Potempa and Hitt allowed the kindergarten students to
stay outside and use their physical education class time to keep using the
playground.

“It’s nice to get
them out here and let them explore a little bit, and they’re excited about it,
so pulling them away would have been a little tough,” Potempa said. “They seem
to be enjoying it.”

Hitt agreed.

“We love it when they get outside and get to play,” she
said.

It was also nice that students from the two kindergarten
classes had a chance to play together, Hitt said.

“This is nice equipment too,” she said.

Kindergartener Eric Bowles, 5, said his favorite part was
the slide, and he had fun using the new playground.

“It’s good,” he said. “I like it.”

Students
and teachers from Poland prekindergarten, kindergarten and some special
education classes pose for a photo before the ribbon-cutting ceremony on
Thursday, May 4, for the new primary-school playground.

Poland
prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers cut the ribbon for the new
primary-school playground on Thursday, May 4, as students look on.

Poland students try out the new primary-school playground
for the first time on Thursday, May 4.

Poland students try out the new primary-school playground
for the first time on Thursday, May 4.

Poland students try out the new primary-school playground
for the first time on Thursday, May 4.

Poland
prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers cut the ribbon for the new
primary-school playground on Thursday, May 4, as students look on.